Bending
by mandaree1
Summary: (Epilogue to Resilience!) Things in WindClan are pretty good; Shadestorm's had a litter, Wolfbreeze and Beeheart are padding after each other, and Petalpaw's finally getting her name. But Beeheart can't help but be worried by his sister's connections to RiverClan. Medicine cats don't see boundaries, but why couldn't she see that this was her home?
1. Story's on the Other Foot

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!**

 **Title: Bending**

 **Summary:** **(Epilogue to Resilience!)** **Things in WindClan are pretty good; Shadestorm's had a litter, Wolfbreeze and Beeheart are padding after each other, and Petalpaw's finally getting her name. But Beeheart can't help but be worried by his sister's connections to RiverClan, and the suspicion thrown her way by some of their Clanmates. Medicine cats don't see boundaries, but why couldn't she see that this was her home?**

 **Chapter Title: Story's on the Other Foot**

 **...**

 **WindClan:**

Leader: Beetlestar- white and brown she-cat

Deputy: Ravenfur- all black tom

Medicine Cat: Birdleap- stone gray tom

 **Apprentice: Petalpaw** \- black she-cat with white paws, belly, and chin; back right leg is white up to the joint. A deep scar just under her front leg.

Warriors:

Maplewing- red and white tom

 **Apprentice: Owlpaw**

Stagclaw- black and white she-cat

Redeye- albino tom

Heathertuft- white and brown she-cat with white paws

Raintail- gray she-cat with white belly and paws

Foxpelt- ginger tom

Lichenfang- brown and black she-cat.

Brackenheart- white tom

 **Apprentice: Finchpaw**

Stripeface- dark gray tabby tom with black stripes

Beeheart- gray tom

Wolfbreeze- white she-cat

Deertail- brown and white tom

Queens:

Shadestorm- brown and black dappled she-cat. Mother to Runningkit (black and white tom) and Swankit (creamy yellow she-cat with a brown face, ears, and paws)

Apprentices:

Owlpaw- gray tom with white front paws and muzzle

Finchpaw- light ginger tom

Elders:

Silverstep- silver tabby she-cat

Firefoot- flame-point tom

Tinytooth- small lilac tom

 **RiverClan:**

Leader: Graystar- gray long-furred she-cat with a scar across her chest

Deputy: Volespring- brown she-cat with small ears; missing half her right ear, a clawmark across her left eye, and a mangled back right foot

 **Apprentice: Patchpaw**

Medicine Cat: Whitestripe- brown and white tabby she-cat

 **Apprentice: Tansypaw-** tortoiseshell she-cat

Warriors:

Tallblaze- brown and white she-cat

Hawktail- gray and white tom

Dawnbelly- black and white tom with bright green eyes

Cherryfur- calico she-cat

Blackstorm- gray and orange calico she-cat.

Fluffywing- creamy yellow tom. Formerly a kittypet

Rowanfish- dark brown tabby she-cat with a thick scar across her throat. Formerly a loner.

 **Apprentice: Hollypaw**

Sedgefeather- brown and black tom

Lioncreek- long-furred white tom with three legs.

Apprentices:

Patchpaw- calico she-cat

Hollypaw- orange and white she-cat

Queens:

Cloudwillow- long-legged mottled tom. Father to Stonekit (dark gray she-cat), Otterkit (brown she-cat with dark brown muzzle), and Pikekit (brown and white tabby she-cat) (Rowanfish's mate)

Elders:

Stonebird- gray tabby tom.

Carpjaw- speckled tom with distended jaw

 **ThunderClan:**

Leader: Foxstar

Deputy: Unknown

 **ShadowClan:**

Leader: Brightstar

Deputy: Unknown.

* * *

"Stop gawking and take him!" Petalpaw hissed, shoving the black and white kit into Beeheart's chest. "Get him clean and fluffed up for Shadestorm."

"Yes, ma'am," Beeheart muttered darkly, bending down to lick the mess off the newborn's fur. He'd never quite known what to do when his sister got all bossy like this. _I know she's a medicine cat and all, but I can't help but worry she'll take my ears off!_

Beside Petalpaw sat Birdleap, who was watching his apprentice work. Shadestorm thrashed in her nest in front of them, wailing with agony. After one last, _long_ push the second kitten was free and it was all over. Unlike Shadestorm and the kit Beeheart was cleaning, this one was a creamy yellow, with a brown face, ears, and paws. The difference was startling. There must be more one than one father, he realized. It happens, sometimes.

"Clean," Petalpaw meowed to Birdleap (much more gently, Beeheart might add) as she passed the kitten along, then turned to Shadestorm. "Congratulations. You have a son and a daughter."

Shadestorm slowly opened her eyes. "Only two?" she rasped. "It feels like I gave birth to a patrol."

Birdleap gently bumped his forehead against the queen's. "Rest now. You can think of names later." The brown and black molly nodded and set her head down. She was snoring within minutes, her new children squirming against her belly. That done, he flicked his tail in a gesture for them to clear out. "Petalpaw, can I speak with you real quick?"

She looked mildly surprised, but dipped her head. "Of course, Birdleap. Whatever you need."

Beeheart recognized it was time for him to go, and padded out into the clearing with his tail high. It was a surprisingly cool day for Greenleaf, a stiff breeze blowing through his solid gray pelt. The young warrior had also been born during the same season, and felt a bit like he'd been given the short ear of the rabbit with how hot it had been.

With such nice temperatures, most of WindClan had gone out to patrol. Firefoot and Tinytooth were sprawled out in front of the elders' den, sunning themselves. Between them lay Silverstep, the silver tabby snoring louder than any monster. Brackenheart and his apprentice, Finchpaw, were fixing a small hole in the heather walls that surrounded their camp. They'd all been paranoid of them after the disastrous Leaf-bare a season before.

Beeheart had been a kitten when his sister had been taken, and getting close to his warrior name when she'd returned. He still had the odd nightmare about it, where she'd be sucked away by the lake water, limbs flailing uselessly, shrieking for help. Then badgers would roar, and Beeheart would turn to face them, and then he'd wake up, sore and terrified. _Petalpaw always says she was fine, but you'd have to be blind not to see that big scar on her side_ , he thought, not for the first time.

"Beeheart!" Brackenheart called over his shoulder, white tail wagging in a friendly manner. "How'd it go?"

He shook himself free of his melancholy. _Stop worrying about that. It was forever ago._ "It went great!" he boasted. "Shadestorm has two kits!"

The older warrior nodded. "Good for her. I'll see if I can bring her something to eat later."

Finchpaw tapped his mentor's side with a paw. "Brackenheart?"

"Yes?"

"One of the kittens is wobbly."

Beeheart walked up to his half-brother, curious. Finchpaw had proven to be a treasure trove of knowledge he shouldn't technically have. "Which one?"

Finchpaw's ears flattened, as if he was worried he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't. "The black and white one," he mumbled at his paws. "But it's no big deal, really. I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"Will the kit be okay?" he asked, not unkindly. Beeheart knew Finchpaw could be self-conscious.

The light ginger 'paw slowly nodded.

Beeheart touched him the center of his forehead. "Then there's no need to get too concerned." Finchpaw still didn't look too convinced. "How about this; I'll go tell her myself, once she's rested up a little."

Finchpaw's head jerked up. "Really?"

"Really." He reached out and licked the apprentice's ear. "You just focus on fixing that wall. It looks pretty great so far."

He left Brackenheart and Finchpaw alone, padding over to the fresh-kill pile. He wasn't entirely sure what a wobbly kitten was, but Finchpaw didn't think it was dangerous to the little tom's health, and that was enough to keep him from panicking. Beeheart was maybe halfway there when Petalpaw slammed into him full-force with a joyful yowl.

"Guess what!" she meowed, rubbing her chin across his head. "Guess!"

Beeheart's voice was muffled by her fur. "Shadestorm's kit wobbles?"

"No! Wait." Petalpaw shuffled back. "What?"

He shrugged. "Finchpaw said the little black and white kitten is wobbly." Catching the beginnings of worry in her green eyes, he quickly added: "He said he's fine, though. He's just wobbly. Whatever that means."

Petalpaw nodded to herself. "I'll ask Whitestripe at the Moonpool tonight," she mused, then perked up. "Oh, right, I almost forgot. Birdleap's giving me my full medicine cat name!"

Beeheart stared at her, floored. Petalpaw had been due for her name for some moons now, but her apprenticeship had suffered the first Leaf-bare she spent in WindClan. She'd soon found that the cold made her side ache, and the pain gave her terrible nightmares. She'd hardly left her nest for some time. "Finally!" He reached up to bump noses with the taller cat. "You've earned it twice over."

Petalpaw laughed. "I sure hope so."

* * *

The sun was just beginning to rise on the moor when Beeheart caught sight of his sister on the very edge of one of the hills a couple monster-lengths from the camp. He immediately leaned over to jabbed their brother, Stripeface, awake. Stripeface had grown to be almost twice Beeheart's height, with thick shoulders and paws, but he was one of the most playful cats he knew. He spent most of his time hunting, bringing home fat rabbits for others to eat, and giving kittens badger rides. Beeheart thought it was ironic that their father, Ravenfur, had pushed so hard for Petalpaw to be like him, expecting her to be a great warrior, and had unintentionally overlooked the real great warrior of the family.

"Petalpaw!" Stripeface called out as she got closer, eyes bright. "I thought I saw a smudge on the horizon. How'd it go?"

Petalpaw came to a stop. Her tail and chin were high with pride. "Who is this Petalpaw of which you speak?" she asked, whiskers trembling with poorly contained excitement. "My name is Petal _foot_ , thank you very much."

"Congrats, Petalfoot!" Beeheart meowed, purring. "You officially have the lamest name out of all of us."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "We all knew I was going to be named for my white paw." She stretched out the appendage, white to the bend, unlike her three white paws. Petalfoot had a point; it was a very clear, definite marking on the otherwise average-looking medicine cat. Petalfoot's eyes glowed. "I can't wait to tell Lioncreek and Sedgefeather!"

Beeheart flinched and opened his mouth, but Stripeface cut him off, chanting her new name. "Petalfoot! Petalfoot!" He then slung his fluffy tail over their sister's back. "Come'on. Let's go tell Raintail and Owlpaw and Finchpaw." The gray tom watched them wistfully, then shook his head and jogged after them.

" _There_ you are!" came Wolfbreeze's exasperated voice, stopping him in his tracks. The all white she-cat was slightly smaller than him, but much more energetic and friendly. "I've been looking for you all night." She stopped and studied him. "You look terrible."

He laughed, falling back on his haunches. "Stripeface and I stayed up. We wanted to make sure we got to congratulate Petalfoot by ourselves."

Wolfbreeze's eyes glowed at the news, nosing his chin. "I'm glad to hear she's finally gotten what she deserved," she meowed. "I think I'll go do the same. Come with me?"

Beeheart was a bit surprised by the request- Wolfbreeze wasn't typically one who liked to be followed or escorted- but he happily wrapped his gray tail around her fluffier white one. "I'd be honored."

They took their time to approach, letting Raintail clean her daughter's face and Cloudear bow his head respectfully to the medicine cat. Owlpaw and Finchpaw hovered nearby. Finchpaw looked mildly embarrassed for having not stayed up too. Owlpaw just looked sleepy. Petalfoot broke away from them when she spotted Wolfbreeze, quickly padding up to nuzzle the warrior. Beeheart noticed she tended to put Wolfbreeze first a lot. _Is she trying to make up for what happened back then?_

"Y'know, Petalfoot," Wolfbreeze's voice was breezy as she addressed the black and white she-cat. "I've always said you were pretty hesitant. I'm not very surprised it took this long for Birdleap to finally get off his dusty tail and properly name you. And we all know that I'm kind of the opposite in that regard."

Petalfoot wasn't hurt by the appraisal. Rather, she looked curious. "What's this about?"

She lowered her ears sheepishly. "Mind if I steal the spotlight a bit?"

"Be my guest."

"Good." Wolfbreeze pressed against her side. "Well, as a full medicine cat, I'd like to offer to be your first patient." She smiled brightly. "I'm having kits."

Beeheart's jaw dropped. "Are... are you serious?"

She sent him a shrewd look. "Oh, don't act all surprised, bub. This certainly wasn't a one-cat act."

"Wolfbreeze!" Petalfoot cried, overjoyed, wrapping her body around the newest WindClan queen. "I'm so happy for you both! I'd be honored to help you deliver the kits!"

Beeheart strained his head to touch their noses together. A hard pit was forming in his stomach. He wanted to be happy- he was! He really, truly was! But all he could think of was Ravenfur, and how he'd left them and favored Petalfoot and the mess that had come out of it. _What if I'm no better?_ "I love you," he whispered. "I love you _and_ our kits. Whatever you need, just tell me."

Wolfbreeze blinked at him affectionately. "I know, furrball. I know."

 **Author's Note: Yay for name-drops everywhere! I know it's a bit anti-climatic to start another thing right after making that big happy ending, but I wanted this to be a sort of epilogue; a look into the future. And, yeah, I have a possible sequel, but this is the middle ground. This is just a little snippet. I didn't even want to include allegiances, originally, since it's gonna be short, but it makes it easier all the way around.**

 **Beeheart ended up being the tiny sibling; Petalfoot is middle of the road; Stripeface is the hulk in cat form. I just felt the need to say that. Stripeface's description got changed a little, but that's only because I found a better way to describe him.**

 **I'm thinking this'll be five chapters? Four? Around that lol.**

 **-Mandaree1**


	2. Meowdy

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!**

 **Title: Bending**

 **Summary: (Epilogue to Resilience!) Things in WindClan are pretty good; Shadestorm's had a litter, Wolfbreeze and Beeheart are padding after each other, and Petalpaw's finally getting her name. But Beeheart can't help but be worried by his sister's connections to RiverClan. Medicine cats don't see boundaries, but why couldn't she see that this was her home?**

 **Chapter Title: Meowdy**

 **...**

 **Stormbreeze of BlazeClan \- Yup!**

 **...**

Deertail pouted a little as he chewed through a bite of fresh-kill, reluctantly passing the rest off to Stagclaw. "I can't believe you didn't tell me until now."

Wolfbreeze and Beeheart both had the decency to look sheepish, though it was Wolfbreeze who spoke. "Surprise?"

The brown and white tom stood and shook his pelt out. "A surprise is getting a cat their favorite piece of prey. Finding out my sister is having kits _on the night of the Gathering_ isn't a good surprise." Still, he reached out to bump noses with her, whiskers twitching. "If you need me for anything, don't be afraid to ask."

"Beeheart, Wolfbreeze, Deertail," Ravenfur grunted, breaking into the moment. The deputy hardly even bothered to stop as he said their names, walking by with a flick of his tail. "You're all going."

A flash of irritation towards his father filled Beeheart's chest. He'd never liked him, but he'd at least thought Ravenfur capable of some basic politeness. _I'll show him_ , he vowed. _I'll be a better dad than he ever was. He'll look at me and realize just how terrible he is._

Wolfbreeze seemed to catch on to his internal dilemma, gently shoving his arm. "Come'on, tiger. Let's go join the others."

Maplewing, Heathertuft, Redeye, and Tinytooth were all waiting by Beetlestar. Birdleap and Petalfoot joined soon after, trailing out of the medicine den with the reek of herbs Beeheart didn't pretend to know the names of. Ravenfur returned to his post by their leader's side and they were off. The night was warm and murky, flecked with fireflies and mosquitoes. Beeheart felt an odd sense of peace as he walked beside his mate, knowing that soon everyone in the Clans would know they were going to be parents.

The quiet was shattered as Maplewing twisted his head over to Redeye. "Are we sure we should bring _her_?" he meowed. It didn't take a genius to realize he was talking about Petalfoot. "What if she blabs about the good hunting here? RiverClan'll be swarming our borders in an instant."

"I'd like to see them try," Heathertuft replied. The white and brown she-cat was walking in front of them, tail flicking back and forth. "We're all well-fed and strong. Those fish-faces would have to be flea-brained to try anything."

"I don't know what you expect me to say." Redeye shrugged at his friend. "She's a medicine cat. Medicine cats can basically do whatever they want."

"But we _have_ a medicine cat," Maplewing insisted. "Why not just bring Birdleap?"

Beeheart's scruff rose. His lip drew back to reveal sharp teeth. "If you fox-hearts have something to say about my sister, why don't you say it to her face?" he challenged.

Maplewing flinched, as if he'd forgotten Beeheart was there, and lowered his head. "Sorry, Beeheart."

"Don't apologize to _me_. Apologize to Petalfoot."

"No need, Beeheart," Petalfoot called back from the front. "I can hear them just fine. If they're really so desperate to mouth off that they don't see the merit in Beetlestar announcing having two full medicine cats, that's on them."

Maplewing looked ready to sink into the ground. Heathertuft snorted and brushed her tail across the red and white tom's nose. "You deserved that."

Beeheart relaxed a little. Deep down, though, he was worried that Maplewing had a point. As one of the oldest warriors in WindClan, barring Shadestorm, it was more than possible that he had experience with this type of thing, wasn't it? And Petalfoot had never spoken badly of RiverClan, despite being taken there against her will. Quite the opposite, actually: she loved to go on and on about them, and how kind and courteous they'd been. _Would she spill WindClan secrets, if she had the chance?_

* * *

Beeheart stopped Petalfoot before she could pad away into the crowd. "Hey, sis. Can I join you?"

The black and white molly stopped and looked him over. "Is this about Maplewing?" she asked. "Because he doesn't bother me. I know he's just worried for the Clan."

"That's part of it," he admitted, already feeling a bit ashamed for his earlier suspicions. _I don't know how she manages to put up with it. I was just listening and I wanted to claw him to reality!_ "But it's been over a season and I still haven't gotten to meet your friends. I thought I'd rectify that."

Petalfoot's face softened. "I'd be happy to introduce you."

The odor of fish and reeds got stronger as they padded over to the gathered RiverClan cats, most of whom Beeheart knew by reputation already. The gray tom had originally suspected she was just bluffing when she proclaimed her willingness to meet-and-greet, but there was a skip in her step as they approached, a purr that rumbled from the tips of her ears to the bottom of her tail.

Surprisingly, it was a RiverClan warrior that came to greet them rather than the other way around. A rather small, dark brown tabby with a thick scar across her throat came sprinting up, all but tackling Petalfoot to the ground. "Petalpaw!"

"Hey, Rowanpaw," she laughed. "And it's Petalfoot now."

The molly's eyes lit up as she stepped back. "Congrats! I'm Rowanfish now, actually!"

"About time!" Petalfoot purred. "I'm so happy for you."

Rowanfish tilted her head to the side. "Whose this fella?"

Beeheart cleared his throat. "I'm her brother."

Petalfoot leaned in to stage-whisper to her friend. "Beeheart's a worry-wart."

The new warrior moved forward and grabbed one of his paws with one of her own as a sort of greeting. "How's it going, Beeheart? I'm Rowanfish."

"Pretty good, thanks," he meowed, trying not to feel too nervous. Rowanfish was far more outgoing than he expected of any rival warrior. "Forgive me, but you to look... different from the other RiverClan cats."

"I was a rogue," she explained. "But that was a long time ago." Her amber eyes lit up deviously. "Ooh, Petalfoot. Have you told Sedgefeather and Lioncreek yet?"

Petalfoot shook her head. "I was looking for them. Did either of them come?"

"Just Sedgefeather. Lioncreek had a bad night's sleep, so Graystar made him stay in camp."

She reached out and brushed noses with the warrior. "That's all I needed to know. Thanks, Rowanfish."

"Anytime, kiddo." Rowanfish draped her tail across Beeheart's back, making him jump. "How 'bout I take this fella off your paws for a bit? I've been meaning to make new friends."

Petalfoot hesitated. "I dunno. I _did_ offer to introduce him to everyone."

"It's fine," he grumbled, not wanting to appear like he needed someone by his side all night. "You can tell him that I said hi."

Rowanfish sat down as Petalfoot moved into the crowd. Beeheart did the same, giving the RiverClan proper space. "I know that proud look," she mused shrewdly. "You're gonna be a dad, aren'tcha?"

Beeheart jumped, then broke into a purr. "Am I that obvious?"

"Cloudwillow was the exact same way. He walked around camp like someone had attached actual clouds to his paws," Rowanfish chuckled. "We're raising them as friends. Now that they're old enough, he's in the nursery, and I bring prey and things for the little ones to play with."

"Why?" he asked curiously, then hastened to add: "I mean, it's not _bad_ or anything, but usually queens prefer staying in the nursery."

The tabby molly shrugged. "I spent my whole life stuck in one place. I don't want to do that again." Rowanfish nodded to a younger white and orange she-cat, who was boldly talking with a ShadowClan warrior. "That's my apprentice, Hollypaw. I didn't want to shove her off on someone else either."

"I've never had an apprentice before," Beeheart meowed. "What's it like?"

"Hard." Something sad gleamed in her eyes. "Hollypaw tries her best to be a big tough warrior- but it's not because _she_ wants to be. She just wants to keep her family safe." Rowanfish paused, then decided it was okay to go on. "Somehow, she got it in her head that she's gotta take her family's well-being onto her shoulders. It's turned her into a real grouch."

Beeheart dug his claws into the ground, remembering sleepless nights and empty bellies. That first, hard night, so long he still wasn't sure he was past it, where Raintail pulled him and Stripeface close and waited for the search patrols to return. "I understand how she feels."

 **Author's Note: Just a short little thing here, about how the other cats in WindClan perceive Petalfoot and Beeheart being an awkward grump. Also an update on one (1) of Blackstorm and Cherryfur's kids.**

 **-Mandaree1**


	3. Kittens Galore

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warrior Cats!**

 **Title: Bending**

 **Summary: (Epilogue to Resilience!) Things in WindClan are pretty good; Shadestorm's had a litter, Wolfbreeze and Beeheart are padding after each other, and Petalpaw's finally getting her name. But Beeheart can't help but be worried by his sister's connections to RiverClan. Medicine cats don't see boundaries, but why couldn't she see that this was her home?**

 **Chapter Title: Kittens Galore**

 **...**

Beeheart paced tirelessly in the clearing, frustrated. Wolfbreeze's wails made every inch of his fur stand on end, but he was powerless to help. _How could Birdleap send me away like that?_ he thought desperately. _I should be by her side right now!_

A loud screech made him jump. Beeheart gathered his courage and padded towards the nursery, only to be stopped by the hulking figure of Stripeface. "Get out of my way!" he snarled. "I need to make sure Wolfbreeze is okay!"

"Wolfbreeze is _fine_ , Beeheart," Stripeface meowed patiently. "Kitting takes time."

"I know that!" He craned his neck so he was nose-to-nose with him. "Don't tell me I don't know that! I _always_ help with deliveries! I'm basically a queen! I have every right to be in there!"

"I didn't _tell_ you anything." The gray tabby gestured to him with his tail. "This is exactly why you were sent away, Beeheart. You're a wreck."

"But-"

"Do you trust Birdleap?" Stripeface asked gently.

Beeheart felt the anger begin to leave him. "Yes."

He tilted his head to the side. "Do you trust Petalfoot?"

He bristled all over again. "Of course I do!"

"Then let them do what they need to do," he finished sensibly. "Trust them to call for you if something goes wrong, and try to settle a bit. It won't do anyone any good if you go to meet your kits all keyed up like this."

Beeheart sighed and stalked away, grumbling halfhearted complaints under his breath. He knew that Stripeface was right, but how was he supposed to relax now? Wolfbreeze wailed, making his claws slither out and dig into the peaty ground.

"I can't believe we're going to be Uncles!" Owlpaw was gushing to Finchpaw, chin raised importantly. "With Petalfoot as medicine cat and Stripeface and Beeheart as warriors, and now a litter of kits, our family is filled to the brim!"

"Not everything is about bloodlines, you know," Finchpaw murmured. The light ginger tom had always been most comfortable around his high-spirited brother. "Besides. Doesn't it feel too early for us to be Uncles? We're still 'paws."

Owlpaw shrugged. "Beeheart and Wolfbreeze are old enough, so why not? It's not like cats _magically_ become family members just because they have their full names."

The clearing fell silent, and then Petalfoot slid out of the clearing, bright and happy. Beeheart was at her side in an instant, tail bristling. "Well?" he demanded.

"You have four healthy daughters," she purred. "Follow me."

She led him back into the nursery. The warmth of the air was cranked up as he padded inside. Shadestorm was blinking at them, her two kits clutched close to her side. He could hear Birdleap come up behind them to block off his brothers, saying it was too soon for so many at once. Curled up on her own nest was Wolfbreeze, her belly bulging with milk and tiny kittens.

"It's karma, I think," Petalfoot joked. "For all the boys Raintail had."

" _Karma_?" he breathed. "They're a blessing."

Wolfbreeze reached out to pat the ground next to her. "Then get over here, furrball, and help me pick out names."

Beeheart laid down next to Wolfbreeze, supporting her head with his chest. The queen looked absolutely exhausted after giving birth to four new lives, sweat clinging to her white fur. He took a second look at the kittens, close enough now to properly differentiate them; one was a long-furred silver tabby, another was short-furred and gray tabby, while the third had ragged gray and white fur, and the last one was brown and white, with tiny, flipped up ears.

Petalfoot seemed to notice his stare, and meowed, "that one must take after our grandmother. Barkthroat looked a lot like that."

"I've never seen ears like those," he murmured, glancing up at her. The medicine cat shrugged; she was no more knowledgeable about it than him.

Wolfbreeze laughed a little. "I was thinking of naming her Curlkit- for just that reason." She nodded to the gray tabby. "And she could be Stormkit."

"Those are lovely names," he replied, staring at the remaining two thoughtfully. The silver tabby was shiny and sleek where her sister was dull almost spiky. "How about Lilykit?" Beeheart ventured.

"I like it," she decided. "What about the gray and white one?"

Beeheart studied her for a moment. Unlike Raintail, who was gray up top with white on her belly and paws, this one was gray with white splotches all over her body. It reminded him of the first snowfall of the season, when there was spots of grass peeking out between the flakes. He glanced up at Petalfoot, waiting for a final name so she could give the news, and realized that naming a kit after the snow would only drum up bad memories. "I'm thinking Icekit."

"Curlkit, Stormkit, Lilykit, and Icekit," Petalfoot repeated, nodding to herself. "Alright, I'll leave you two alone. Congratulations, and may StarClan bless you."

"They already have," Beeheart responded.

* * *

Beeheart cracked his eyes open the next morning. He was exhausted beyond belief, and could only imagine how tired Wolfbreeze must be. His mate was snoring long and loud next to him, mouth hanging open, front paws twitching. He resisted the urge to _mrrow_ with laughter, afraid he might wake her. Beeheart snuck a peek at her belly to find the kittens just as tiny as the night prior. Lilykit and Stormkit had squirmed to sleep side-by-side. Icekit was suckling. Curlkit lifted her muzzle a little, shaking at the effort it took, then set it back down.

"Hi, babies," he whispered, gently touching each of their heads with his nose. "I'm your papa, Beeheart. You don't know me yet, but I love you so, so much."

"They know you just fine." Shadestorm's voice made him jump a little. She was watching him affectionately. "If they thought you were somethin' bad, they'd be wailing up a storm right now."

His ears perked up. "Really?"

She nodded. "Ain't never been a more accurate judge of character than a kitten." Shadestorm glanced at Swankit and Runningkit. Beeheart had heard the story as to their names multiple times; the queen had named Runningkit after what a WindClan cat loves most. Then, hoping to name her other kit after something that would intimidate even the toughest of warriors, she had asked the medicine cats for some tips. Birdleap had suggested Blackcough. Petalfoot, straight-faced, had said swans. The answer amused Shadestorm enough to go with it. "They're halfway to apprenticeship already. I can't believe it."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

He hesitated. "Finchpaw... well, you know how he has those little flashes of info?" Shadestorm nodded. "Well, he said that Runningkit would be wobbly. Do you know what that means?"

Shadestorm blinked at him. "Have you ever seen him walk?"

Beeheart shook his head. Runningkit was a momma's boy, very rarely leaving the nursery, and in the moons he'd been alive Beeheart thought he'd only seen him a pawful of times.

The brown and black dappled molly nudged the black and white kitten awake with her nose, breathing warm air on his fur. "Honey," she meowed gently. "You wanna see the kits?"

Runningkit nodded, awake almost instantly. Beeheart was jealous of his ability to hop up like that. "Can I?" he squeaked.

Shadestorm dipped her head. Runningkit stood and crawled out of the nest. Beeheart soon realized what Finchpaw had meant as he watched Runningkit move. The kitten stumbled and tripped very easily, rolling onto his side at one point after slipping on a twig. But the kitten didn't seem perturbed by it at all as he settled in on the edge of their nest, blinking eagerly at the new kits. "Can I play with them?"

"Not yet," Beeheart meowed. "Do you like to play, Runningkit?"

His eyes lit up. "Yeah!"

"Well, my brother, Stripeface, _loves_ to play," he purred. "You oughta ask him for a badger ride next time you see him. It'll make his day."

Runningkit suddenly found his paws very interesting. He was mostly black, with a white belly and face. A stripe went right between his eyes and onto his muzzle. "Won't I get in the way?" he asked. "Whenever I go out in the clearing, I almost get stepped on."

Beeheart reached out to touch noses with the kitten. "You're not in the way. Most of the time, warriors like me have prey or other things in our jaws, and we need to keep our heads up. Seeing a kit can be hard. Just yell at us and we'll stop."

Swankit yawned, stretching her little paws. "Why'd it get chilly all of a sudden?" She opened her eyes. "Runningkit?"

"Over here," he chirped. "Beeheart says we can play with Stripeface."

Wolfbreeze cracked open an eye as Swankit gathered beside her brother, amused, then shut it all over again. Beeheart gave her a lick between the ears, feeling like the luckiest tom to walk the Clans.

 **Author's Note: Babies! Babies out the ears! Runningkit has CH (Cerebellar Hypoplasia)- he's a bit wobbly, but otherwise he's a normal kitty! (As always, if I've made any mistakes portraying such things, don't hesitate to tell me! It won't hurt my feelings a bit!)**

 **-Mandaree1**


	4. A Present

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!**

 **Title: Bending**

 **Summary: (Epilogue to Resilience!) Things in WindClan are pretty good; Shadestorm's had a litter, Wolfbreeze and Beeheart are padding after each other, and Petalpaw's finally getting her name. But Beeheart can't help but be worried by his sister's connections to RiverClan. Medicine cats don't see boundaries, but why couldn't she see that this was her home?**

 **Chapter Title: A Present**

 **...**

 **Guest of Boredom (June 15th)- Runningkit is adorable! And, I must say, I really appreciated your reviews on Resilience! They made my day!**

 **...**

"Oh, they're just gorgeous," Raintail purred, resting her chin on the edge of their nest. "You know, I wasn't sure if I was ready to be a grandmother until just now."

"And?" Wolfbreeze asked.

"Now, I want to dote on them and feed them prey and then shove them back on you when they're full of energy and want to play."

Beeheart laughed. Stormkit squeaked at him as if offended by his reaction, then shoved her nose against Curlkit's neck. Curlkit snuffled her sister a moment before relaxing. Icekit- who, they'd realized, got warm really easily- was at the far edge of Wolfbreeze's belly, resting her tiny head on the queen's stomach. Lilykit showed very little sympathy to the gray and white kitten's plight, crawling up on her shoulders.

"What in heather's name is _that_?" came Ravenfur's disgruntled mew, making them all fall silent. Two sets of paws moved steadily toward the nursery- one relaxed, one agitated- and then Petalfoot was pushing inside, her jaws clamped around a decently sized fish. Close behind was the deputy, fur bristling. "Answer me!"

Petalfoot set the fresh-kill down. "It's a fish, Ravenfur," she replied calmly. "They swim in streams in the territory."

 _Well, at least she didn't sneak into RiverClan for it_ , Beeheart thought, then immediately shook it away. It felt wrong to even consider the _possibility_ of his sister being a prey-stealer.

Ravenfur drew his lips back, revealing sharp teeth. "Have you forgotten this is WindClan?" he demanded scathingly. "We don't eat _fish_."

"I eat fish," she shot back, then gently moved the prey closer to Wolfbreeze. "And small amounts of fish can be good for queens. There's a lot of protein in them."

"Hasn't your reputation suffered enough?" Ravenfur asked, eyes narrowed. "Bringing fish into WindClan camp to eat- it's ridiculous. You should've just eaten it on the moor."

Petalfoot was flat-out ignoring her father now, bowing her head deeply to Wolfbreeze. "I give this to you as a gift, with all the good tidings of StarClan," she meowed, eyes sparkling a little. "And if it turns out to be more than your belly can handle, I will happily dispose of it myself. No fresh-kill will be wasted in this camp."

Ravenfur hissed wordlessly.

Raintail sat up. "Well, I should get going. I promised Lichenfang and Brackenheart that I'd join them for a hunt." The gray and white molly shoved past the black tom, shooting him a sour look. "It's not good for WindClan's image for the deputy to harass one of our medicine cats, you know," she meowed. "Especially when it's your daughter."

His face softened. It seemed his ex-mate's words had gotten to him as he took an awkward step forward. "I'm sorry, darling. I just... I worry about you. You can't just pretend that some warriors don't trust you forever. It's dangerous for a Clan when it can't trust its' medicine cat. I don't want you having to face that sort of dilemma."

The very tip of Petalfoot's tail flicked. "If there are cats who doubt my intentions," she meowed quietly. "Then they can ask me to my face, and I will answer any questions they have."

Ravenfur's ears pinned back at her tone. He opened his mouth, then seemed to think better of it, shaking his head. Raintail slipped out of the nursery, the deputy close behind her. They pointedly went different ways.

"Well," Wolfbreeze said, clearing the tense air in a second. "After all that, I kind of have to eat it, don't I?"

"I can eat it instead and bring you a rabbit off the pile, if you'd prefer."

"Absolutely not!" She grabbed the fish and drug it over. Wolfbreeze jokingly bared her teeth. "My precious!" The queen shot Beeheart a pleading look. " _Our_ precious?"

He grimaced, but ultimately lowered his head and took a bite. Reeds and mud sloshed around in his mouth, making him gag. Slime clung to his nose and whiskers as he pulled back. Beeheart forced himself to swallow. "Yummy," he lied.

Petalfoot purred at his expression. "It takes some getting used to."

* * *

A squirming awoke Beeheart. The gray tom lifted his head, eyes tight-shut, ready to fall back asleep. The sound of gagging made his heart turn cold. "What's wrong?" he whispered.

"It's Lilykit," Wolfbreeze murmured back, voice tinged with desperation. "She's throwing up."

Beeheart's eyes flew open. _No, no, no. StarClan, don't take her from me._ He crawled around the white she-cat and pressed his nose up against Lilykit's trembling little body. The kitten had rolled half on her side, whimpering with pain. A tiny paw scratched endlessly at her belly, ripping at her soft fur. Her eyes, still not open, were glistening at the edges. A quick scent of the air told him that fluids were coming out of both ends.

"Is she sick?" Shadestorm asked, clutching Swankit and Runningkit like they would disappear.

"I don't know," he admitted. Beeheart only had minimal understanding of medicine and illness, but something seemed off. "She's got plenty of symptoms, but she doesn't feel fever-hot."

The older queen sat up, tail bristling. "Come'on, kits. Let's give them some space." Shadestorm bent down to grab Runningkit by the scruff. It was hard to hear her around the fur as she led her kin out of the nursery, tail around Swankit, but she made do, calling over her shoulder. "We'll be in the elders' den if you need us."

 _Mouse-heart_ , he thought, though he couldn't blame her. It didn't do any good for two litters to get sick. Beeheart reluctantly peeled himself away from Lilykit and stood. "I'll go get the medicine cats."

"Quickly," she urged. Lilykit was gagging again.

Beeheart ran as fast as he could, sliding a bit when he drifted into a turn. Outside, the night was peaceful and humid. Stars glittered above him as he desperately stuck his nose into the medicine den, every fur on his pelt standing up. "Come quickly! Lilykit's sick!"

Petalfoot was awake before Birdleap. There was a sort of business-like glint to her green eyes as she sprinted past him. Birdleap trotted behind her, groggy and yawning. Beeheart had very little information about the bad times she surely must've had in RiverClan, but he knew that she'd dealt with Greencough and Blackcough before, and had even lost a queen to it. _She has to know what to do!_

Birdleap and Petalfoot were bent close together over Lilykit as he slipped back into the den, tail lashing. He hadn't even been this afraid when Petalfoot had been taken. "For the love of the moor, tell me it's not deadly."

"It's not Greencough or Blackcough," Petalfoot meowed slowly. Beeheart sagged with relief. "There's no puss or phlegm. She's a little hot, but it's not a full-fledged fever. Has she sneezed at all?"

"Not excessively," Wolfbreeze told her. "The smells are triggering it, I think."

The black and white she-cat nodded. "You should definitely sleep somewhere else for the night. Shadestorm's nest looks open- I doubt she'll mind if you use it." Petalfoot snuck a hesitant look at Birdleap. "You think it's Whitecough?"

Beeheart bristled all over again. Whitecough wasn't as deadly as Greencough or Blackcough, but it could turn into them.

Thankfully, Birdleap shook his head. "Look at her stomach," he meowed. There was a decently sized bald patch there now from her digging, red and swollen. "She needs some stinging nettle for the swelling."

Petalfoot dipped her head. She stood and gestured to Beeheart with her tail. "Come with me."

"What is it?" he demanded, wild-eyed, as they stepped into the clearing once again. Petalfoot was moving at a much more leisurely pace than she had before.

"Vomiting, diarrhea, runny eyes, and mild fur loss," she listed off, ducking her chin as they moved into the medicine den. "Sounds like an allergic reaction to me. Judging by her clawing at her stomach, she must've ate something."

"Thank the stars." Beeheart felt a weight leave his chest. "Can you give her some yarrow? To- to make her puke it up?"

Petalfoot nodded, scooping a spiky green plant out of a hole in the ground. "The damage is done. There's a good chance she'll regrow that fur, but if she dug too deep it might stay bald," she warned as she piled it with tiny white flowers he knew to be yarrow. "Have you fed her anything new?"

"We've been giving all of them bits of solid food, mashed up. They don't usually eat them, but we thought it might prep them for when they start weaning."

"She ate some today?"

"Yes."

"What was it?"

Beeheart went very still. "It was... it was the fish." His eyes grew very wide. "She's allergic to fish."

Petalfoot rose to her full height. "Oh, Beeheart. I'm so sorry."

His fur was bushed up with anger now. "Why did you force that disgusting food on us?" he hissed, eyes flashing. "You could've killed Lilykit!"

"I told you earlier- small amounts are good for queens." The medicine cat lowered her head. "But that doesn't make this any less my fault. I promise, I'll find you the biggest rabbit on the moor, and stay by Lilykit's side while she heals."

"No!" Beeheart snarled, stomping a little closer. "Don't you get it? All the RiverClan habits and traditions you follow- you're practically one of them! What if you make her sick all over again?"

"Beeheart," she meowed. "You're being irrational."

" _You're_ being irresponsible!" he snapped. "Ravenfur is right, you know. You're a WindClan cat. I tried to understand, but now Lilykit is hurting because of you!" Beeheart clawed the dirt, leaving deep, gouging marks. "I don't want you anywhere near my family until you can act like a proper WindClan cat!"

Petalfoot blinked at him morosely. "Okay, Beeheart. If that's what you want."

Beeheart whirled around and stalked out of the medicine den, clutching the herbs in his teeth. He refused to take any chances with his kits.

 **Author's Note: Nothing I write for these dorks stays bright and happy forever, huh. But don't worry- it'll all come back around.**

 **I should note that Beeheart isn't thinking straight right now. He's a new papa and his baby is hurting. Also, as a random fact of the day: Lilykit was originally gonna be named Lilackit, but I ended up scrapping that. She was also gonna look like Heatherstar- a sort of pinkish-gray- but that also didn't quite work lol.**

 **-Mandaree1**


	5. Rain, Rain, Go Away

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!**

 **Title: Bending**

 **Summary: (Epilogue to Resilience!) Things in WindClan are pretty good; Shadestorm's had a litter, Wolfbreeze and Beeheart are padding after each other, and Petalpaw's finally getting her name. But Beeheart can't help but be worried by his sister's connections to RiverClan. Medicine cats don't see boundaries, but why couldn't she see that this was her home?**

 **Chapter Title: Rain, Rain, Go Away**

 **...**

 **A Warrior at Heart \- Petalfoot's been home for a year, almost! I should've made that clearer. She had a really rough first Leaf-bare home after all that happened in RiverClan.**

 **For Lack of a Better Username \- Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron was something I grew up with! It still means a lot to me today! A lot of Petalfoot's journey can kinda draw back to the movie. It means more than I can say that my writing was helpful to you! I hope you have a better week/time soon!**

 **...**

Rain showers in Greenleaf were either ridiculously short or unnecessarily long, and this was proving to be the latter. Beeheart shuffled his paws against the wet heather at the entrance of the nursery. _If it's gonna pour like this, the least it could do is lower the heat._

Icekit hesitantly padded over to sit next to him. Her pelt, though short and lightly colored, had proven to be quite insulating. Even at dusk, the sky covered in dark clouds, he could see the effect the sun was having on his daughter and feel the heat radiating off her tiny form. He resisted the urge to wrap his tail around her. It'd only make things worse. Lightning lit up the sky, reflected in her eyes.

"Wow," she breathed. "It's so pretty."

"It's certainly wet," he meowed dubiously. "But that's one of the facts about living in WindClan, I guess. We're open to the sky; for good or bad."

Something squirmed on his other side, and then Lilykit's nose appeared around his shoulder. "I wanna see! I wanna see!" she chanted, plopping down between his front paws. A bald patch clung stubbornly to her stomach, despite having healed, but the silver tabby showed very little concern about the bright pink spot. "How come StarClan makes storms?"

"I don't think any cat makes storms," Beeheart purred. "They just exist."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "They make the land green."

Tiny paws made themselves known on his back. The gray warrior glanced over his shoulder, only to find Curlkit half-leaning on him, eyes twinkling. Stormkit sat on the ground next to her; the duo had soon become inseparable. She stuck her tongue out at her sister. "They made storms so I could be named Stormkit. Duh."

Beeheart laughed. His gaze lingered on Curlkit. The brown and white kitten rarely spoke- and, when she did, it came out in a halfhearted slur. She never came when called, or jumped at sudden noises. It was becoming more and more clear to him that she was hard of hearing. She might even be fully deaf. He hadn't figured that part out yet.

But it didn't bother him- Stormkit was by her sister's side constantly, and the sisters spoke in a language all their own, making symbols with their paws and tails. They'd excitedly shown them off, and Beeheart had tried to learn every one. Curlkit would stamp the ground with her paw to get their attention, then make a sign. So far, they only had names. Her chin jutting high and snobby in the air was Lilykit. Rolling onto her back to present belly was Stormkit. Her tail going in a circular motion was Icekit. A puffed out pelt was for Beeheart, and half-masted ears was Wolfbreeze. She was still deciding on the other members of WindClan, but Runningkit had quickly become her two front paws crossed, while Swankit was her tail sticking up.

 _I don't care that she can't hear me,_ he thought, turning back to the storm. _I care that I'm so unprepared. All that puffing up about being a good dad, and it never even came to mind that she might be blind or deaf or wobbly or so many other things- and it should have. I should have thought of it. How can I tell her I love her if I haven't come up with the signs for it?_

He reached out to lick Curlkit's cheek. She giggled and licked him back, then hopped down to join Stormkit. For now, that was enough.

"Alright, everybody." Wolfbreeze appeared behind him, nudging the kittens back to the nest. "Bedtime."

As Beeheart curled into their nest, he took one last look outside, and was surprised to see Petalfoot padding into the medicine den with a clump of wet herbs. The rain didn't seem to perturb the medicine cat at all.

Guilt swamped him almost immediately. It'd been almost a moon now, but he still hadn't apologized for the way he'd acted when Lilykit got sick. He knew, logically, that Petalfoot had only been trying to help, and that it had just been a coincidence that the one RiverClan fresh-kill she brought into camp would cause an allergic reaction. But every time he tried to talk to her, all he could think of was Maplewing and Ravenfur, and he didn't think he could take her viewing him in the same light as them, so he'd get choked up and slip away, ashamed.

Sometimes, Beeheart wondered why she stayed in WindClan at all. She clearly had more friends in RiverClan; Rowanfish, for example, along with Sedgefeather and Lioncreek. Two more cats he'd yet to meet. Once, while out hunting, he'd accidentally seen her speaking jovially with a border patrol, bumping foreheads with a cat he would later realize was Graystar. _The_ Graystar.

Wolfbreeze seemed to guess what he was thinking, and gently shoved his muzzle with her paw. "Quit moping," she scolded. "You won't get anywhere second-guessing yourself like this."

"What if she hates me?" he meowed, glancing at his kin. They were so tiny still. It was hard to believe that one day they'd be as tall- maybe even taller!- than their parents. "I've been a gigantic rabbit-brain to her."

"You have been, and you need to apologize." Wolfbreeze shifted her paw so it lightly touched his eye, the half-faded scars that lied there. "Do you remember getting these?"

Baffled, he nodded. "When I fought Dawnbelly at the Gathering."

"She remembers too, Beeheart. If your apology is sincere, I'm sure she'll understand."

 _She remembers too_. The concept made his pelt prickle oddly. He'd been so _angry_ , then, hopelessly lashing out at the first cat he'd been pointed at. Beeheart, barely even an apprentice, couldn't have possibly beaten a warrior, and it was only to be expected that he'd suffered from his rashness; a Gathering was for peace, and he'd broken that. _I couldn't just stand aside. She looked so lonely up there, away from us._ The old rage flared up in his chest, lip drawing back. He hated to think about the time they'd spent apart against their will. _She didn't even get to celebrate her apprentice ceremony with her family._

"Okay," he whispered, suddenly exhausted. Beeheart had never been happier in his life, but he'd also never been so tired. Being a parent was like that, he supposed. "I'll talk to her tomorrow."

Wolfbreeze jerked her head in a nod. "Good." She set her head on her paws. "Now, I'm officially done being the good advice queen, so shut your mouth and go to sleep."

* * *

Beeheart had never paid much attention to what his sister did with her time. It wasn't any of his business if she liked to take walks by herself, or sometimes came back to camp smelling like she'd rolled in garlic to keep away something else. But now, as he tracked her scent across the humid and wet moor, he kind of wished he had some vague clue as to where he was going. In the distance, he could make out the lake, glimmering like a jewel. The island sat near the edge, empty for the time being. Twolegs swarmed the waters with their water monsters, for reasons he didn't know or understand.

Beeheart kept going, and soon crested a hill that dipped into another. Between the two of them sat a tiny pond, made from rain the night before. It was so shallow Petalfoot was laying in it without any issue, her eyes closed. The gray tom gaped at the scene, almost as confused as he was when he spotted the Twolegs. "Petalfoot?"

Petalfoot jumped, bursting out of the water with an awkward splash. Her chin fur hung low in awkward drapes, but she didn't seem to mind at all. "Beeheart?" she meowed, looking surprised. "What're you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he blurted out, staring at her like she had four heads. "Why are you lounging in water?"

The medicine cat walked out and stretched, shaking droplets everywhere. "If you haven't noticed, it's hot as fire out, and my pelt is a heat-catcher," she meowed, eyes crinkling with humor. "I was heading for a stream, but this was closer."

Beeheart hesitantly approached, sticking a gray paw into the pond. It was warm. "Think there's fish in it?"

Petalfoot snorted. "Only if they walked there." The medicine cat flicked some water off of her extra white paw. "I have to say, there's a lot less seaweed here than in RiverClan. It makes swimming a lot easier."

Ears flat and shoulders hunched, Beeheart stared at his paws, the full weight of his actions hitting him once again. "I'm really sorry, Petalfoot. You were right- I was overreacting."

She padded over and touched his cheek with her nose. "I'm not angry with you," she reassured him. "It's natural for first-time parents to be jumpy. And, well... as much as I hate to admit it, I can't blame cats for being worried. I _do_ act more RiverClan than WindClan." Petalfoot blinked at him, eyes pleading for him to understand. "But I can't help that I was apprenticed there first. I'm not going to _pretend_ I never learned how to swim, or that I don't mind the taste of fish. I catch it easier than I do rabbits anyway."

"Knowing how to swim doesn't make you less WindClan," he argued. "Catching a squirrel wouldn't make me ThunderClan, would it?"

"No, but spending an entire Leaf-bare with them might," Petalfoot replied, but she was purring. The medicine cat sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws. It prompted Beeheart to do the same, leaning on her damp pelt slightly. He had to admit, the water did make him feel a little cooler.

"I've been meaning to ask- why Swankit?" Beeheart meowed. "I mean, wouldn't it have made more sense to name her Badgerkit?"

Petalfoot tensed, eyes flashing. "I'd never recommend a kitten be named after one of those brutes!" she snapped, then seemed to regain her composure, sighing and hanging her head. "Sorry, sorry. I understand why we name our kits after our predators- dogs and foxes and badgers. They're strong, and we want our young to be strong, so they can live long lives. But... I just can't forget what I've seen badgers do."

"You don't talk about it much," he ventured quietly, fearful of prodding her the wrong way.

She shook her head. "I'm a WindClan cat, but during my time in RiverClan, I was treated with the respect of a fellow Clanmate," she meowed. "They gave me their trust. I won't shatter that by revealing things to enemy warriors that could potentially be used against them."

Beeheart flinched. He'd never thought of it that way. He stood and gently nudged her. "Come'on," he rumbled. "Let's see if I can't teach you a trick or two to help you catch rabbits."

* * *

The sun was beginning to set as they padded back to camp. Petalfoot had a decent-sized rabbit in her jaws, tail held high with pride. Beeheart fought to contain a purr at his sister's antics, but he finally let loose when Stripeface pelted across camp to meet them, accidentally knocking them both over. _Just when I thought he finally got those big paws of his under control!_

"Dad!" Lilykit squealed, joining the pile. She caught sight of Petalfoot's rabbit almost instantly. "Is that for us?"

Petalfoot glanced meaningfully at Beeheart. He nodded empathetically, tail curling up with pride. "If you'd like it," she meowed politely, pushing the fresh-kill closer.

Lilykit hopped over the rabbit, delivering a sloppy lick to the black and white she-cat's chin. "Thank you, Aunt Petalfoot!" she chirped, then, hooking her tiny teeth around a leg, began arduously dragging the prey to the nursery.

The medicine cat was floored. "She knew who I was."

"Of course she did." Beeheart helped her onto her paws. "You're family."

 **Author's Note: Back to fluffy we go!**

 **There was a lot I debated on putting in this short bit that didn't quite make it in tbh. I was hoping on maybe having Petalfoot meet up with more RiverClan cats and talk to them- I was even considering putting a short stand-off between her and Hollypaw- but I wanted the main focus of this story to be on Beeheart and Petalfoot. (I swear, Stripeface WILL get a thing of his own one day. I love him a lot. He deserves one.)**

 **I have a possible sequel, as I've mentioned, but I still need to tie some strings before I think of writing it. When I do, it's only going to be set maybe a month, month-and-a-half from this little beauty.**

 **I've also been tossing around an idea for random drabbles. Just little insights into the other cat's lives. I don't think there'll be many of them, but I have a few key cats I wanna focus on. Graystar, Fluffywing, Raintail, Tansypaw, etc etc. (I'm kind of crazy for these cats, if you can't tell lol)**

 **Until next time!**

 **-Mandaree1**

 **(As always, if I've written any disability incorrectly or in a really stereotypical way, don't hesitate to tell me!)**


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